Bit-brace.



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PATENTED FEB. 13, 1906.

J. GBSSERT.

BIT BRAOB.

APPLIOATION HLBD AUG.27,1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

lNED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 13, 1906.

Application filed August 27, 1904. Serial No. 222,426.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB GEssERT, a citi- .zen of the United States,residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Bit-Braces, of which thefollowing is a specication.

This invention relates to improvements in bit-braces; and its primaryobject is to provide a brace which can be used in very small quarters,such as are inaccessible to ordinary braces, it being particularlydesigned for cabinet-work, which often requires boring to be done inpigeonholes of desks and other similar places ordinarily inaccessible toa bitbrace.

Other objects are to provide a bit brace wherein the actuation of thesame is caused by a pull and thrust action on the operatinglever orhandle, by means of which actionthe head of the brace carrying the bitcan be inserted into a small space and the handle actuated from withoutsuch space; to so construct the brace that it may be actuated by anoscillating movement of the handle; to provide a pressure deviceindependent of the handle, which permits the head of the brace to beinserted into a small space and whereby suflicient pressure may beexerted on the head to cause the bit to bite or take hold; to providebraking means whereby the chuck or stock is held against retrogrademovement during the initial action of the brace, or, in other words,until the bit enters the wood sufliciently to cause enough friction toprevent retrograde movement of the bit, and to otherwise improvebit-braces.

To these ends the invention consists in the construction, arrangement,and combination of parts to be hereinafter described, and particularlypointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improvedbit-brace, the handle being shown for operation by a thrust and pullaction. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same, the handle thereof beingshown as used when swinging or oscillating through an arc of a circle.Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section, on an enlarged scale, taken on line 83, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a transverse section through the head of the handleand the stock, taken on line 4 4, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectionthrough the pressure-bar head and the shank of the stock, taken on line5 5, Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken on line 6 6, Fig. 3.Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section taken on line 7 7, Fig. .2. Fig. Sis ahorizontalsection taken on line S S, Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is an enlargeddetached perspective view of one of the camdisks whereby theactuating-pawls are disengaged from the ratchet.

Referring to the drawings in detail, like letters of reference refer tolike parts in the several figures.

The handle comprises a radial bifurcated head A and a pivoted holdingportion O. The bifurcated head has its outer end closed by a wall, as ata, and is provided with a cylindrical shank B, having its outer endfiattened on one side to form substanti ally a semicylindrical extensionb. The holding portion C of the handle is preferably cylindrical with aportion of its length of corresponding diameter to the shank B. Theinner end of said holding portion is pivotally attached to said shankand provided with a complementary fiattened extremity through which andthe flattened end of the shank a pivot-pin c is passed, thus permittingthe holding portion of the handle to be swung at an angle to said shankfor operating the brace by a thrust-andpull action. A sleeve D surroundsthe handle and is movable longitudinally thereon, its function being tolock the holding portion of the handle rigidly to the head A when swungin line therewith, so as to allow the operation of the brace by aswinging movement of the handle through an arc of a circle. At suchtimes the sleeve is moved against the head to completely surround theshank and the complementary flattened portions of the same and thehandle.

Within the bifurcated head A is located a ratchet-wheel E, and passingthrough the latter and registering openings in the arms of the said headis the shank f of a stock or chuck F. Said ratchet-wheel is secured tosaid shank by a pinf to cause the latter to revolve therewith. The stockmay be of any desired type; but for the perfect and free working ofother parts to be hereinafter described the saine is preferablycylindrical.

Located between the two arms of the bifurcated head in the interveningspace separating the ratchet-wheel E from the rear wall a of said headare two ratchet-pawls G, pivotally attached by pivot-pins g, passingtherethrough between the ends thereof and through the arms of the head.Each pawl has asocket or depression g formed inits opposing face on thatside of the pivot-pin near the rear wall of the head, and interposedbetween the pawls IOO IIO

with the ends thereof seated in said sockets is an expansion-spring H,serving to separate the free ends of the pawls, and consequently forcethe acting ends thereof into engagement with the ratchet-wheel.

Owing to the arran ement of the various parts, the brace woul b'erendered undesirable by the en agement of both pawls with the ratchet,it being constructed, primarily, as a ratchet brace. I therefore providemeans for disengaging either one of said pawls from the ratchet, which'comprises two camdisks I, located at opposite ends of the rear wall ofthe ratchethead and revolubly secured thereto by a pivot pin J, passingthrough said wall. Acting cam-faces are formed by gradually diminishingthe thickness of each disk from a point k to a point 7c', thus formininclined cam-faces around central bosses 2. The cam-face of each disklies in operative proximity to the, inner ends of the pawls G, and uponrevolving said disks the gradually'- inclined surfaces cause the pawlsto be disengaged from the ratchet. The said disks are loosely mounted onthe pivot-pin J for independent rotation.

It is apparent from the foregoing that the brace may be operated by anoscillating movement of the handle through an arc of a circle, which isdesirable in open places where space will permit of such movement, asincreased leverage can be obtained, or by a pulland-thrust movement ofthe handle when only the short shank of the head is moved through an arcof a circle.

As it is always necessary that pressure be exerted on the bit, I providea pressure-bar L, which is advisedly positioned in line with the chuckor stock for a purpose to appear hereinafter, it having at itsinner endan upwardly and inwardlv extending arm Z, which terminates in a head l',having a depression or socket Z2, opening inward, into which latter theupper end of the stock-shank f fits. The latter is provided with acircumferential groove M, into which flat keys m fit, which pass throughlateral openings `m in the head of the pressure-bar and whose inner endsare curved tocorrespond to the reduced portion of the shank formed bysaid groove. To prevent accidental displacement of said keys from thegroove in the shank, suitable screws N are screwed into openings f/L inthe head of the pressure bar and pass through perforations 11, in saidkeys. By this arrangement the ressure bar is locked securely to the chucand is free to turn on the shank thereof, while allowing the chuck toturn without turning said head. The pressure-bar is made hollow and isopen at its outer end and provided with slots O at diametral points. Astop-bushing P is secured in said bar near its outer end by a pin p,passing through the same and entering said bushing. The latter isprovided with a longitudinal opening p',

through which and a perforation pi in the inner closed end of the bar abrake rod R is passed, which extends from opposite ends of said rod. Theinner end of said brake-rod has afhxed thereon a brake-shoe R', adaptedfor engagement with the stock or chuck,while the outer end of said rodis threaded to receive an adjustin -nut S, which partly enters the openend o the pressure-bar. Apin T is passed through the brake-rod and hasits ends extendinginto the slots O in said pressurebar, which preventsturning of the brake-rod, while serving as a convenient guide.Surrounding said brake-rod with its ends bearing a ainst the pin T andthe inner end of the stopushin P is a spiral spring U, which serves tohoId the brake-shoe with the necessary pressure against the chuck orstock of the brace.

In operating the device the adjusting-nut S is turned to allow thespring U to force the brake-shoe against the chuck. The sleeve D is thenmoved along the handle to permit the same to be swung at a right an leor at any other angle to the shank of the ead A, or if at an angle tosaid shank and `it is desired to use the same in rigid form the handleis swung in line with said shank and the sleeve moved inward along thehandle to surround both the said shank and the inner end of the handle.The ressure-bar is then taken hold of and the too placed a ainst thework. The handle is actuated in eit er manner described as may benecessary or desirable, and after the bit has entered the work and isheld sufflciently by friction to prevent retrograde movement theadjusting-nut is screwed farther .onto the brake-rod, which causes thebrake-shoe to be drawn away from the stock or chuck. After the desireddepth is bored the cam-disks are both revolved to disengage the actingpawl from the ratchet-wheel and engage the idle pawl therewith, whichcauses a reversal and the withdrawal of the bit. It is thereforeapparent that the brake-shoe is put into service only when starting tobore, and as soon as reverse movement of the bit is unlikely it iswithdrawn from the chuck. This is a very essential feature when thebrace is used in small quarters, which requires pressure to be exertedon the brace from without such quarters.

While the construction shown and described is the preferred one, I donot wish to limit myself to such construction, as many changes may beresorted to without departinoV from the scope of my invention orsacriiiclng any of the advantages thereof.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim is- Y 1. A bit-bracecomprising in combination, a pressure-bar and a stock mounted to rotatetherein and be governed thereby, said stock having a ratchet-wheel ri idtherewith, a handle having a head rotata le on said stock IOO IIO

and carrying a pawl engaging said ratchet- Wheel, and a braking devicecarried by said pressure-bar engaging said stock and resisting rotationon the return of the pawl.

2. A bit-brace comprising in combination, a hollow pressure-bar havingan offset arm, a stock mounted to rotate in said arm and having aratchet-wheel rigid thereon, a handle rotatable on said stock andcarrying a pawl engaging said ratchet-wheel, and a braking devicecomprising a brake-shoe and a rod mounted in said pressure-bar.

3. A bit-brace comprising in combination, a hollow pressure-bar havingan offset arm, a stock mounted to rotate in said arm and having aratchet-wheel rigid thereon, a handle rotatable on said stock andcarrying a pawl engaging said ratchet-wheel, and a braking devicecomprising a brake-shoe, a rod carrying said brake-shoe mounted in thepressurebar7 a spring tending to force said rod inward to hold saidbrake-shoe against the stock, and means for drawing said rod outwardagainst the action of said spring.

4. A bit-brace comprising in combination7 a hollow pressure-bar having.an offset arm and longitudinal slots at diametrically opposite points, astock mounted to rotate in said offset arm and having a ratchet-wheelrigid thereon, a handle rotatable on said stock and carrying a pawlengaging said ratchet-wheel, and a braking device comprising arodmounted in said pressure-bar' and having its ends projecting therefromand its outer end threaded, a brake-shoe at the inner end of said rod,an adjusting-nut fitting onto the threaded end of said rod, a pinpassing through said rod and guided in the slots in the pressurebar, astop-bushing held in said pressure-bar, and spiral s rings surroundingsaid bar and bearing wit its ends against said pin and bushing,respectively.

5. A bit-brace comprising in combination7 a pressure-bar and a stockmounted to rotate therein and be governed thereby, said stock having aratchet-wheel rigid therewith, an operating-handle carrying a pawlengaging said ratchet-wheel and having a head rotatable on said stockprovided with a radial shank, and a holding portion pivoted to saidshank and capable of being swung at an angle to or in line with saidshank, means for locking the handle and shank rigid when y alined, and abraking device carried by said pressure-bar engaging said stock andresisting rotation on the return ofthe pawl. :u

In testimony whereof I'have afliXed my signature in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JACOB GESSERT.

Witnesses EMIL NEUHART, EDWIN MAIER.

